Torn
by snoopy7716
Summary: "Torn" is a Spike/Buffy/Angel story, hence the title (as in 'torn between two lovers'). Angel returns to be with Buffy but there is a complication.


***Takes place mid-season six, somewhere around Older and Far Away***

Rated: PG-13???

Pairings: Spike/Buffy/Angel

Author's note: This is my first attempt at one of these, Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! "Torn" is essentially a Spike/Buffy/Angel story, hence the title, as in "torn between two lovers".

Torn

*

Buffy slowly opened her eyes. She rolled over to look at the clock but instead saw a platinum vampire sleeping at her side. Surprised, she jumped back…and then the alarm went off, waking her into the real world from her dream. She grabbed the clock to turn it off, glancing at the empty spot beside her. 

Why was she dreaming of Spike? She thought back to the days she dreamt of Angel, her first true love. Why was she now letting Spike take his place beside her? Although she assured herself the "affair" was over, and that she would never enter his crypt again, he was still there, in her thoughts, in her dreams.

She shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts away, and began her day. 

**

Willow was downstairs cooking breakfast as Dawn prepared to leave for school.

"Tara will drive you today", Willow told her.

"I'll be glad when I turn 16 and can drive myself!" Dawn said testily to her. 

"Over my dead body," Buffy said as she entered the room. "And if you didn't do it then, I guess you missed your chance." 

The others tossed an uncomfortable glance around.

"Oh come on you guys, lighten up!"

"I think maybe we just want to put the whole 'dead and buried' thing behind us, ya know?" Willow explained.

The back door flew open and Spike entered, blanket-clad and smoldering. They all turned to see what damage the sunlight had done to him this time. 

"Hi Spike", Dawn said.

"Nibblet", he replied with a nod.

Buffy tried to hide her discomfort. "What are you doing here Spike?" she asked.

"Needed to get my jacket, I left here the other night when I was watching the 'lil bit".

Buffy glared at him, pushing back memories of the dream.

"Seen it Pet? It's black, leather, about so long..." He said sarcastically.

"It's in the closet," Willow told him.

            "Don't you need to go Dawn?" Buffy asked, avoiding a conversation with him.

"Dawn, are you ready?"  Tara yelled simultaneously from the front room

"Yeah, bye guys", Dawn said as she grabbed her backpack.

Willow took the plates and quickly deposited them in the sink, saying "I have to get out of here too, Tara and I promised Anya we would help today at the shop. She gets so crazy when you're late." Willow rolled her eyes and headed out the door.

That left Spike and Buffy standing in total silence.

He stared at her, longing in his eyes. He wanted to touch her, hold her, but he knew she said she didn't want that. She glanced at him, then the window, then the floor and suddenly remembered the key to his leaving.

"I'll get your jacket." She spun around and went to the hall closet. While she rummaged through it, trying desperately to find the jacket quickly, she felt him behind her.  She could feel his cold breath on her neck, his eyes locked on her. He softly touched her shoulder. She stopped searching and dropped her head without turning to look at him. 

"Don't," she said softly.

He paused a minute, then said, "I can't do this, I can't be without you."

She turned to him, "Yes, you can, we have to..." she said.

"What the bloody hell for?" He interrupted. 

"Because… ", She said quietly, dropping her eyes.

Spike touched her chin and lifted her face up, "Because why?" He asked.

She shook her face loose from his hand, "Because it just isn't right."

"Oh, but it was bloody right with Mr. I've-got-a-soul?"

Her eyes widened in anger**.  **"That was different!" she yelled, pushing herself away and stomping past him. 

 He reached into the closet, grabbed his jacket and slammed the door in disgust.  He walked back into the kitchen and found her staring out the window. Slowly, he walked up behind her, careful not to get slugged.

 He tossed his jacket on the counter, and slid his arms around her. She closed her eyes to mentally escape what she didn't have the strength to refuse physically. He leaned down, brushed her hair back and whispered,

"He loved you Buffy, but you have to realize I do too. I would do anything for you, anything to protect you. You are the only thing I care about."

She stood still, not responding, then softly leaned her head back on his chest. She knew it was true, and that the love she felt for Angel, and always would, was very much the same love she now felt for Spike. 

"I know you love me Buffy. I know at first it was just sex, but I know it's different now." He turned her slowly in his arms and made her look at him. He could see the tears forming in her eyes. He melted at the sight of her emotion.

 "Buffy..."

"Spike--" she interrupted him, "it's true."

Surprise and happiness rushed through him. He stepped back, still holding onto her.  This was what he'd waited to hear. A smile came across his face as she continued,

"I do love you, but there's more."

 "What? You afraid of what the Scoobies will say about us?" Spike asked, puzzled.  She pulled away and walked around the kitchen island as he shifted in place waiting for her reply.

"It's not..." she fumbled with the strings on her shirt.

"Then what?" He moved closer, reaching for her.

"Angel." Buffy said.

Spike froze.

She slowly raised her eyes to look at him. 

He tilted his head and continued moving closer.  "I can love you better than he ever did." he told her softly.

"Spike..."She stammered and backed away. "It's not that..." she paused a minute, then, "I know deep down no matter how much I deny it, I do love you. And I've never stopped loving Angel."

Spike waited, hoping that this was going to somehow turn in his favor.

"Angel's coming back." she finally said.

Spike straightened and waited for what was coming next.

"He's coming back to Sunnydale, for good."

Spike walked toward her and took both her hands in his.  "Why does this matter to us?" he asked.

"Because…" she looked at him, tears streaming down her face**, **"The curse, it's over now. He's coming back here for me, and I can't tell him. I can't decide between you. I can't let him come back after all this time and find me..."

"With ME." Spike said.

             "No…that's not exactly it," she started. "I…we…Willow and I discovered something. We found out that when she restored his soul, it had a different result than when the gypsies cursed him."

Spike looked completely baffled, so she tried to clarify. 

"It was the same spell, the same words, but not the same intent. When I killed him...he was sent to hell with a soul. The Powers That Be sent him back because of it." She waited for his response.

"The "happiness clause" wasn't installed the second time. It was the main objective of the gypsies, but Willow's main objective was to resoul him."

"But you LOVE me Buffy," he pleaded.

"I know," she said quietly.

He took a seat on one of the bar stools. "So that's it then? Goodbye sodding Spike -- Angel's back in town?" He was hurt and confused. 

"No Spike, it's not that easy." She said.

Spike stood, kicking the bar stool away, and turned to the door. He flung his blanket over himself for cover and stopped before opening the door. Without turning to look at her he said, "Tell him congratulations for me." Then he stormed out.

"Spike! No!" Buffy called after him..

***

 Buffy was taking her shower as evening fell on Sunnydale. She leaned her head back and let the water stream down her body.  She thought about the morning's conversation with Spike. She thought about her 17th birthday and that night with Angel. She thought about last week with Spike in his crypt. How would Angel's return affect her relationship with Spike? And why did she even care so much? How could she possibly hurt one to be with the other? She could finally be with the man she had loved for so many years, but…Spike. Buffy finished with her shower and headed out for the Magic Box where she was to meet Angel. Suddenly a pack of vampires waylaid her; she was going to be late to meet Angel.

****

The bell rang over the door of the Magic Box. Tara looked up from research, 

"We're closed -- open tomorrow at 9:00." she chimed. She looked up to see a tall man in a black coat.

"I'm looking for Buffy." he said  "Is she here?" 

 "No, no she's not. You can wait for her though." Tara smiled.

Back at the cemetery Buffy battled the pack of vampires. "You know, you guys are really messing up my schedule!" Once she'd staked them all she checked her watch**.**

"Oh crap," she moaned, and ran for the Magic Shop.

Meanwhile Tara struck up conversation with the stranger. "Are you an old friend of Buffy's?" 

"You could say that", he said as he scanned all the artifacts on the wall. He spotted a clock and asked,  "You know where she might be?"

"Probably at Spike's," she replied informatively.

"SPIKE'S?" he turned quickly "She's in trouble".

"Oh no, she's always over there, weird huh? So, did you go to school with Buffy?" Tara went on cluelessly.

"I have to go now." Angel turned and left.

"Please come again!" Tara said in her cheery salesperson voice.

*****

Angel approached Spike's crypt. He paused at the door silently for a moment before throwing it open. 

Spike shot out of his chair, "Well, lookie who's home!" he saidintoxicated.

Angel decided to let Spike do the talking.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off with your little slayer? The two of you, such a couple!" he wobbled in place holding his bottle of vodka.

"Where is she, Spike?" Angel asked in a monotone. 

Spike laughed hysterically--"Why would I know where she is? You're in town now, right? Why the bloody hell would I know where she is? YOU'RE the MAN right? The infamous AN-GEL---let's drop everything and everybody, Angel's back!"

Angel sensed something, but couldn't pin it down. He let Spike continue.

"You know," Spike pointed the bottle at Angel, "I was the one there for her these last three years! I was the one to help and make sure she was ok, and stick my neck out in the middle of sodding danger. I was the one left here when she died."

"But YOU, well--YOU'RE ANGEL!" Spike yelled in a rage.

******

Buffy arrived at the Magic Shop out of breath. She tore into the room only to find Tara turning lights off. "Where is he?" she clamored to get out.

"Who?" Tara asked. 

"Angel!"

"THAT was Angel?" Tara now rethought the whole situation. "Oh B-B-Buffy, he left…" Buffy shot a blank look at her. "Buffy I'm sorry h-h-he…"

She turned and ran out the door before Tara could say anything more. She automatically ran home.

Back at the crypt Spike had finished his rampage and was slumped down in a chair, exhausted. "Go to her, go to your Slayer," he said in a slurred voice. 

Angel turned to leave, with more information than he ever could have dreamed.

"HEY!" Spike managed to sputter out--

Angel turned to look at him.

"You ever hurt her again, and it's me you'll have to deal with---", he laughed his intoxicated laugh,--"you'll kick my ass, but at least..."Spike suddenly passed out in a drunken stupor. 

Angel's suspicions were confirmed.

Buffy reached the house, and rushed up to her room, only to find it empty.  "Only one other place he could be," she thought out loud.

*******

The mansion was still standing, large and stone, showing signs that it had been quite regal in its day. Buffy raced up the front steps and into the main parlor. She found a fire burning, but no sign of Angel.

As she walked over to the fire, she sensed Angel in the room. She turned to see him walking out of the shadows.

"Angel! I'm sorry I was late..."

He stopped her with a stare.

"What?" she asked.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall." You were right, the curse is over," he told her.

Buffy smiled and walked to him. He reached out to take her hand.

"It's been a long time, I need to catch up with you**,**" Angel said softly as he pulled her to him and held her tight. "I never stopped loving you Buffy." He closed his eyes as he held her close.

"Angel....", she sighed, "we've waited so long, and I never

thought this day would come, ever."

"I know, but here we are." After a pause, he continued .

"I went to Spike's".

She jerked back from him, fear filling her heart. "WHY were you at Spike's?" 

"Buffy, talk to me." he reached for her hand again. "We never thought this day would come, and although I probably would have resented knowing the details, I wanted you to go on with your life."

Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes,  "Angel, I'm sorry--"

"Don't be sorry, and just for the record, Spike told me nothing."

Her eyes widened with questions--"Then how did you....."

"I could smell you on him Buffy, I could smell your scent in his crypt. 

"I thought you would be so angry." she said through streaming tears.

"Why? Because you moved on, or because it's Spike?"

"I don't know..." she sat down on the huge antique couch and dropped her head into her hands. 

He sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do you still love me Buffy?" He asked.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Then you should know something", he looked into her eyes, "He is also in love with you."

Buffy dropped her head again.

"If we are going to be together, we need to start out on the right foot", he went on, "do you love him?"

She lifted her eyes to him and nodded slowly.

"And you thought I would be mad?"

She nodded again.

He stood and extended his hand to her. She took it and he led her to the giant bed. It looked the same as it did on her 17th birthday, the night everything changed. But this time things wouldn't change. He scooped her up, her head pressed to his chest, and he put her softly on the bed. He removed his white shirt and lay down beside her.

"Angel..."

"Shhh..." he quieted her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He didn't know what it would take, but he knew he wanted her to be happy. After three years of thinking they could never be together, now they could, and he couldn't stand for her to be sad this night. He touched her cheek lightly and wiped away the tears. "It's going to be ok, I promise."

They fell asleep, that first night, holding each other on top of the bedspread. This day had finally come, but it was going to take something else to make it perfect. 

*******

Morning came, and Angel awoke first. He watched Buffy sleeping quietly beside him. Love filled his heart, and he thought it would burst. He slipped out of bed,and silently put on his shirt and shoes. He looked back once before sliding the basement door open and entering the sewer passages.

When Angel arrived at Spike's crypt, he found him still passed out where he had left him the night before. He inched closer to the intoxicated vampire, waiting for him to move.

"OH GOD!" Spike yelled, waking with a start and seeing his sire standing over him. Spike rubbed his eyes and tried to focus. "You scared the shit out of me!" he said.

 Angel stood silently.

"Hey--", Spike remembered, "weren't you here before?"

"We need to talk", Angel said in a low voice.

"Oh yeah." Spike said laughing, "Is that code for you're going to kick my ass now?"  He began to back away. 

"It's about Buffy" his sire said.

Spike froze, "What is it, is she hurt?" He suddenly turned very serious.

Angel shook his head, " She isn't hurt, but she isn't happy."

Spike tilted his head, "What happened?"

Angel leaned against the stone pillar in the middle of the room wondering how to say what he had come to say.  He crossed his arms and began,  "You and I know vampires are different from humans when it comes to love. If I had come back here and she were still with that Riley guy, I would have stepped aside and waited for her word."

"Captain Cardboard, you mean? He never had what it took to make her happy!" Spike sneered.

"Nevertheless, I would have waited for her decision, but I come back here, and things are different than I expected." Angel paused " Buffy is in love."

Spike was shocked at Angel's words. He just knew this was all going to conclude in Angel's kicking his butt, but strangely Angel didn't seem in fight mode.

"I know you love her Spike, and I don't blame you for that. I know what it's like to love her, and there is nothing in the world to compare."

The two vampires stared across the room at each other.

                                             *******

 Back in the mansion, Buffy woke up alone. She shivered at the thought of where Angel might be, trying not to relive the worst moment of her life. He was gone, but where? "Oh god..." she said as she leaped from the bed and raced out of the mansion.

She ran as fast as she could to the cemetery. In her mind, she could see the two of them in Spike's crypt beating the hell out of each other. She reached the door and kicked it open. The door bounced off the stone wall only to reveal both vampires standing on opposite sides of the room. Angel's eyes met hers and Spike saw her desperation and fear.

"Good morning luv," Spike said with a smile and a touch of sarcasm.

"Buffy..." Angel began

"DON'T DO THIS!" Buffy interrupted him.

Angel and Spike exchanged glances and then turned back to the Slayer.

"Do what?" Angel asks

"She probably thinks you came here so we could fight to the death." Spike begins to laugh.

Realizing there was less of a reason for alarm, Buffy asked, "What exactly are you doing here? I woke up and you were gone."

"Oh great--leave the details out, ok pet?" Spike chided her.

"Nothing happened," Angel corrected him.

Now Buffy was completely baffled**.** "Why are you telling him _that?"_

"We have to talk Buffy.  _All _of us." Angel told her.

Buffy wondered what this meant, was he going to make her tell him the details of her affair with Spike? Was he going to tell Spike that he knew about them? Had he already? She slowly shut the door behind her and entered the crypt. Standing between them she looked from one to the other.

"What's going on?" she asked.

              The vampires glanced at each other and then Angel started toward her. He took her hand and led her to Spike's only chair.

 "Sit down." Angel told her.

Spike came and knelt before her, taking both her hands in his. Buffy shot a look at Angel to see his response. Surprisingly, he said nothing.

"We both love you pet. That's all there is to it." Spike said, longing in his eyes. "We both know this life's not worth the living without you," he smiled at her slightly.

Angel was standing over her. "Vampires are very different from humans, Buffy. We can take who we want, but it creates a never-ending battle…a power struggle. You don't need to be in the middle of that."

"God knows it drove Dru even crazier than she already was." Spike added.

"So what are you saying? You guys are going to _share_ me?" she asked with a snarl.

"God, no. " Spike rose. "It would just be different. It would be a relationship between the three of us. All of us equally important, no one being 'shared'." He stopped for a minute and looked at Angel, then changed his tone a bit. 

"Ok, it is being 'shared', but still, it's different."

Buffy still didn't understand.

Angel took her hand. "Although this seems uncommon, it's really not, especially in our world." He glanced over at Spike. "See, with Dru, she was another vampire, so she was a possession we fought over. This is different with you. You're human, we both just want you to be happy."

Buffy stood up and backed to the door, "Have you two _flipped_?" she asked them. "Is this a joke?" She turned and ran toward the door. 

Angel leapt to catch her arm, "Buffy wait…"

"Buffy!" Spike yelled at her.

She jerked free of Angel's hold and ran out into the sunlight where neither of them could chase her. 

Sunlight caught the tip of Angel's fingers as he reached the doorway, just enough to singe him and make him jerk his hand back. Holding his hand, he turned and looked at Spike, "Now what?" He asked.

"I think we freaked her out, mate." Spike replied.

Buffy ran, trying to sort the whole thing out in her mind.

*******

The phone was ringing when Buffy walked in the door. "Hello?"

"Buffy, it's Willow, you have to come to the Magic Box, we've got a problem."

"I'm on my way", Buffy said and turned to go back through the front door. When she reached the shop, Willow and Tara were sitting at the table with the usual piles of books. Willow shot her eyes toward the door. "Come here, you're not going to like this."

Buffy walked over to the table eager to hear what the new problem was for the day.

Willow pointed out an extra scary looking character in a book. "See him?" Willow started, "He is the demon that was recruited by the gypsies that cursed Angel. His job is to make sure the curse sticks and if for some reason it doesn't, he's the guy that comes looking for Angel to destroy him."

"So how do I stop him?" Buffy replied casually. She had waited all these years to be with him, one demon was not going to ruin it.

Willow hesitated, "That's sorta the thing...you don't."

"OK Will, how many times have I come across these 'unkillable' ones?" There had to be a way.

Tara chimed in, trying to help with the explanation. "The gypsies purposely chose a demon that could not be destroyed so that even if their entire line was gone, Angel would still be hunted."

"Yeah, but here's the bad part, he's only after him because he came here. The demon needs him to be close to the Hellmouth to perform the ritual." Willow added. "The gypsies couldn't be sure he would always be near a hellmouth, so these are a sort of 'tracker demons' that wait to get him where they need him."

"Why don't they just kill him? Would be easier.",  Anya said matter-of-factly.

"Gotta side with the little woman on this one." Xander said with a smirk.

Buffy glared at him.

"Because they want Angel to suffer more than be destroyed", Willow answered.

"So, again, it's me. If he hadn't come back here to be with me, then he would be OK?" Buffy questioned. 

"Not exactly", Willow informed her. "See, the demon has probably known for the last three years that the curse wasn't valid now, but he was waiting for Angel to make his way here. The couple of times that Angel was here, he was gone too fast for the demon to prepare everything." 

"It's quite a lengthy process." Anya added, "I have known a few of these Glabar demons in my time and they are rather picky, everything has to be just right."

 "The gypsies would have gone an easier route if they had one, but this was the only way." Willow added.

"So Angel could go back to LA and he would be safe?" Xander asked.

"No one is going to tell Angel he can't come here, I know him." Buffy replied.

"How do we even know he's out there?"

"Because Tara was doing a protection spell this morning and it wouldn't take." Willow told her.

"That's never happened to me before", Tara said.

"The demon world is all at unrest right now, D'Hoffryn isn't happy. All the demons step down when something like this is being planned, it's like an unwritten law, out of respect." Anya informed the group.

"Respect?" Buffy said sarcastically, "for another demon?"

"Yes, you know how it is." Anya replied matter-of-factly and then went on with her dusting.

They all stared at Anya, wondering, but decided not to pursue. Buffy turned with a jerk. "So what do we do?"

"Watch out for him. He'll be coming tonight. The research pin points tonight." Willow concluded.

"So, all I have to do is protect Angel tonight and this demon can't touch him. So what's the prob?"

"You have to prevent the ritual from being completed. There is no way to know how he will come at Angel first, but he will go out with fire." Willow explained.

"So, don't play with matches tonight?" Buffy said coolly. With all the other things on her mind, another big bad didn't even tip the scale.

"It's not a joke Buffy. If he completes the ritual, there will be NO way to turn Angel back. And he will be Angelus times ten this time."

Buffy's eyes widened, "But you said I can't kill it?" 

Tara tried to help**.**  "You can't, but these demons come for one reason and one reason only. He will do anything it takes to fulfill the ritual, but if you stop him, he has failed. That's why they are so careful not to start it until they know they have everything set to finish. It's not something they can do twice." 

Buffy stared at her with fear in her heart. This was bigger than she had initially believed. 

*******

Before Angel left the crypt, he told Spike he was going to talk to Buffy. "I'll catch up with her while she's out patrolling. Meet us back at the mansion tonight."  Angel went back towards the sewers.

Spike nodded in acceptance. 

Angel stopped at the sewer entrance, "You know I'm doing this for her."

Spike paused. "Yeah, I know."

*******

Night fell, and Buffy went to the mansion to look for Angel. She wished she could have come to search for him earlier, but the day had gone so fast. She searched the mansion, with no sign of him, and decided to wait. She crawled up in the huge bed and sat with her legs folded thinking about the whole situation. She loved Angel. She loved Spike. To go with one would hurt the other, and either way it was going to hurt her. What was the solution? She wouldn't have them fighting over her, she wasn't Dru. She wondered why Dru enjoyed it, the two of them constantly battling. It was no wonder Dru was insane.  Then she thought to herself what Angel had said earlier in the crypt.

        "Vampires are very different from humans, Buffy. We can take who we want, but it creates a never-ending battle…a power struggle. You don't need to be in the middle of that."

The words rang in her head. How could she possibly be expected to decide between the two of them? She loved them both for very different reasons, in much the same way though.  Maybe this 'share' idea wasn't completely bad.

Buffy was shocked out of her deep thoughts with the sound of a slamming door. She jumped off the bed and ran to the main parlor**.**

"Angel!" she called out.  But when she rounded the corner. To her surprise it was Spike. 

"Where's Angel?" she asked excitedly.

"Out looking for you pet, told me to meet the two of you back here." Spike replied.

"OH MY GOD! Spike, we have to find him NOW!"

As they turned and ran out the mansion, Buffy explained all that Willow had told her.

********

Angel wandered through the cemetery, hoping to find Buffy. After searching along her regular route, he decided that maybe she had gone back to talk to Spike. He headed toward the crypt, never seeing the rest of the Scoobies entering the cemetery. Willow tried to call to him, but he was already through the door.

"C'mon, we have to get to him if Buffy hasn't yet." Willow instructed. They ran to the crypt door, flung it open, and turned pale at the sight before them.

Angel was strung up by mystical energy as a 7ft. demon stood before him chanting. The demon waved a hand toward the door and Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander all flew backwards out of the door. It slammed behind them.

The electrical energy was so bright they could see the glare outside the crypt and could hear Angel screaming in pain. Just then Buffy and Spike arrived. Willow pulled herself up off the ground and explained what they had seen. Horror filled Buffy's face; she shot a look at Spike in desperation. Buffy rushed the door and threw it open ready to fight; with one wave of the demon's arm she too flew backwards into the cemetery.  Spike stood in awe as Xander helped her up.

Spike caught Buffy's eye with a stoic look.

  "What are we going to do?" she begged.

Spike stood very still**. **"It has to be me", he replied.

All the Scoobies were fixed on his face.

  "I know how these guys work. There can only be one soul in there, and that's why he can get rid of you so quickly. I have to fight him." He started for the door without hesitation.

Buffy grabbed his arm and he turned to her, "Don't let him die, Spike." He tried to walk on and she stopped him again. "And please, don't _you_ die."

He smiled lovingly at her, turned, and headed for the door of his crypt. He threw the door open and the demon tried to wave him away. When it didn't work, the puzzled demon trudged toward Spike, leaving Angel hanging, bleeding and in pain. Spike, his game face on and ready to fight, entered the crypt and closed the door behind him. The demon looked at him.

 "You are a vampire, why do you care about this one?"

Spike looked at the half conscious Angel and took a deep breath,

 "He's a friend of mine mate, and I'm afraid if you want to take one you're going to have to take both."

"THAT will be easy," he said, and dove toward Spike.

Outside, the Scoobies and Buffy heard the turmoil going on within, things breaking, things crashing. They could only imagine what was going on inside.

Spike ducked out of the demon's way when he dove toward him, and rushed the demon from behind, wrapping a chain around his neck. Holding on tight, they both fell to the ground. Spike jumped up with an empty bottle from the night before, and broke the energy bond holding Angel up. As Angel collapsed, Spike threw one of Angel's arms over his shoulder and dragged his unconscious sire to the door. The door flew open, Buffy and Xander rushing in to help.  The demon leapt toward the door,grabbing for his bounty, but instead got Spike. The door slammed shut, and Xander and Buffy fell to the ground under the dead weight of Angel.

"NO!!!!" Buffy screamed at the closed door. 

"FOOL!" the demon yelled at Spike, "You made me lose my prey, YOU shall pay!"  The demon strung Spike up in Angel's place.

Spike was defenseless, his arms and legs bound as the demon circled him with vengeance in his eyes. 

As Buffy bolted up and ran through the door, the demon spun around and tried to wave her out of the crypt. She stood with her arms crossed, not budging and sarcastically said, "Room for one soul only, looks like it's gonna be me." 

She leaped across the crypt and onto the back of the demon.  Fear covered Spike's face as he watched her fight on his behalf, unable to do anything.

"Buffy!" He screamed.

Nothing could help her now, and the demon stood with both arms spread out.  "If I can't have the vampire with a soul, I will take a vampire and YOUR soul!" 

Fire flew from both of his hands, and Buffy dove across the floor in a roll. She glanced up, saw a silver platter Spike had taken from a dump and held it over her head just as the demon shot fire in her direction.

"NO!!!!" screamed Spike. 

Outside, the Scoobies and a barely-conscious Angel saw the entire crypt go up in a huge explosion.

"BUFFY!!!!!" Willow screamed, but all they could do was retreat from the roaring flames. They backed toward the street, Xander holding Angel up.

"I have to go in after them," Angel barely got out the words.

"It's too late", Xander replied.

They stood at the curb, tears streaming down their faces while Angel collapsed in sorrow. Then from behind them came a sound of heavy steel scraping over the blacktop. They turned to it and saw the manhole cover being slid back. Spike emerged with an unconscious Buffy in his arms. Angel ran to help pull him out.

"BUFFY!" Willow cried.

Buffy slowly opened her eyes as Spike placed her in Angel's arms.

"It was the reflection, it reversed what the demon was casting. Wherever he was sending us, he sent himself." Spike said with a cough as he sat down on the blacktop. 

Buffy looked up at Angel, with one arm around his neck, she reached over and took Spike's hand. 

Spike's eyes flew up to look at her, to see her sweet smile.

The mansion was always much warmer and cozier than a huge stone building should be. She guessed it was the roaring fire that made it what it was. Buffy snuggled down on the couch, pulling a blanket snugly around her as she stared into the orange flames. Angel walked between her and the fire and extended his hand. She reached for it and he placed her arm around his neck and scooped her up. He looked deep into her eyes. They knew the worst was behind them, and now they could be together and not worry about him becoming Angelus ever again.

They approached the bed and he lay her down softly in the center. She turned her head and looked at the platinum blonde vampire lying beside her. She touched his cheek softly with her fingertips as Angel scooted in beside her. She turned and looked at Angel as he wrapped one arm around her waist.

"It's going to be ok now, I promise." Angel said to her.

"Promise," Spike said as he gently brushed her hair back.

                                                           The End


End file.
